A lack of quorum prevented Guam 's charter schools council to meet and decide on a proposed budget for 2019. Amanda Blas, chairwoman of the council says she will work with council members to ensure they can meet.
Haidee V. Eugenio/PDN

Guam Academy Charter Schools Council members, from left, Francis Toves, chairwoman Amanda Blas, Yuka Oguma, and Ansito Walter, at a Friday morning meeting meant to further discuss charter schools' proposed fiscal 2019 budget. Because of a lack of quorum, the council meeting is on recess until next week. Education Superintendent Jon Fernandez could not show up because he gave opening remarks at a service learning summit, while Cel Babauta was off-island for medical treatment, which he told the council about, in late 2017.(Photo: Haidee Eugenio/PDN)

Charter schools on Friday submitted revised proposed fiscal 2019 budgets to a government council, which now has to review whether its recommendations were heeded, from right-sizing of staff to eliminating a pre-kindergarten program and eliminating the budget for Christmas cards.

But a lack of quorum prevented the council from conducting a formal meeting to discuss the revised proposals. There is a Jan. 30 deadline for all public education funding requests, including requests for the Department of Education and the charter schools, to be submitted to the Legislature.

Amanda Blas, chairwoman for the Guam Academy Charter Schools Council, said when budget discussions are over, the council will focus on other issues, including school accreditation.

Guahan Academy Charter School, the oldest charter school, is in its final year before it must achieve accreditation, according to Gov. Eddie Calvo's special assistant for education and climate change, Vince Leon Guerrero.

Under the law, a charter school shall attain accreditation within five years of opening. Leon Guerrero said Guahan Academy opened its doors to students in school year 2013-2014. He was the charter school's former chief executive officer.

A lack of accreditation after this school year could jeopardize the school's charter, its students and graduates, Leon Guerrero said.

The three charter schools' projected enrollment for the next school year could cost Guam taxpayers nearly $12 million, if the Legislature maintains $6,500 funding per student.

That's almost $4 million more than current charter school funding, with the addition of a third school - Science is Fun and Awesome Learning Academy - and proposed additional students for Guahan Academy and iLearn Academy Charter School.

Blas said members will review the revised proposed budget from the charter schools and a decision could be made by next week, provided the council has a quorum.

Guahan Academy's revised 2019 budget request reflects a decrease in the number of students from its original submission, following the council's order to stop offering pre-kindergarten classes because the law does not allow for it. The school's revised projected enrollment is 873.

Only four council members - Blas, Yuka Oguma, Ansito Walter and Francis Toves - were present Friday morning, leaving them one member short to have a quorum. Member Cel Babauta was on medical leave, which he informed the council about last year. Education Superintendent Jon Fernandez had a scheduling conflict.